Forbes Names LeBron 2nd Most Powerful Celebrity

LeBron James in powerful in the sports world, but he is just as powerful outside of sports too.

Forbes has listed LeBron James as the 2nd most powerful celebrity outside of Beyonce in its Celebrity 100 list. James is an instant lightning rod for conversation and here is what the magazine had to say about the 2 time NBA champion:

Back-to-back championships and four MVP awards have made LeBron James the king of the NBA. James is the NBA’s biggest endorsement star, thanks to deals with Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Upper Deck and others. Sales of his signature Nike shoes were tops among active players at $300 million in the U.S. during 2013, according to research firm SportsOneSource, and his jersey was the NBA’s best-seller. James’ earnings also got a boost from the sale of Beats to Apple for $3 billion. James owned a small piece of the business and helped make the brand a must-have accessory by outfitting the 2008 U.S. Olympic basketball team in Beijing in the high-priced headphones.

I figured LeBron would rate highly but not above Oprah and Steven Spielberg. At this point though, James is about his brand and becoming that next billionare athlete. He looks to be well on his way.